Number Caught Without Seatbelts Halves

22 September 2011, 05:00

Police are telling Heart that despite the number of drivers being caught without a seatbelt going down by more than half - the figure is still too high

9.4 drivers were caught everyday not wearing their seatbelt during a week-long enforcement campaign in Suffolk between Monday 12th and Sunday 18th September.

Officers were deployed countywide to clamp down on people not wearing a seatbelt or not using the appropriate child restraints during the campaign, led by Tispol - the European Traffic Police Network.

During the week-long campaign 66 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) were issued in total, equating to an average of 9.4 per day.

All of the 66 Fixed Penalty Notices issued, were given in relation to adults not wearing a seatbelt, with the recipients incurring a minimum of an instant £60 fine. 

In a similar campaign in February, Suffolk Police issued 186 FPNs, equating to nearly 22.6 per day. During the same campaign last September 102 FPNs were issued, averaging nearly 14.6 per day.

Suffolk police say failing to wear a seatbelt remains one of the main causation factors of fatal and serious injury collisions. Someone in a crash at just 30mph will be thrown forward with a force of between 30 and 60 times their body weight. Seatbelts reduce this force and consequently reduce the risk of serious injury or death.

Inspector Bruce Gent of the Roads Policing Unit said: "The majority of car users are responsible people and listen to advice. Although less people were caught not wearing a seatbelt in relation to previous campaigns, 9.4 Fixed Penalty Notices issued everyday is still too many, especially when you consider what a simple, yet vital thing it is to put on your seatbelt. Even on short journeys or at low speeds a seatbelt must be worn. It can mean the difference between life and death or serious life-changing injury. It is especially important that infants and young children have the correct child restraints and the driver is responsible for this. We will continue to target people who do not wear seatbelts or fail to use appropriate restraints for infants and young children. Furthermore, we are very willing to give advice on child restraints where needed."

Norfolk Police also ran the same campaign last week.

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